House of Firesong
House Firesong is a Sin'dorei noble house with its seat of power at the Dawnstar Spire. Led by the confident Lord Arcanist Entilzha Firesong and his sister Lady Salandra Firesong, the two lone survivors of a bloodline dating to the time of Queen Azshara, the family's ancient holdings in the South of Quel'Thalas fell quickly to the scourge invasion, and the reformed House Firesong is devotted to the restoration of southern Quel'Thalas, known in vernacular as the Ghostlands though typically referenced as the "Greenwood" or quite simply, "Southern Quel'Thalas", by members of the household, retainer and hirelings. While historically based near the Sanctum of the Moon, which under Entilzha was reclaimed and restored in a conflict both bloody and technically demanding, House Firesong's present seat is the Dawnstar Spire with many rank and file residing at the partially refurbished Goldenmist Village. Pre-History House Firesong is an ancient house with a proud history dating to before the Sundering, serving elven civilization faithfully under Queen Azshara before the events which would lead to the Sundering began to unfold. The family’s holdings were located on the outskirts of the city of Vash’jir, in what is now known as Biel’Aran Ridge. An arcanist of significant command, Bailas spent much of his early days serving the crown, utilizing his arcane talents in numerous engagements with the vast troll and Aqir empires, aiding the outward expansion of elven civilization from Zin-Azshari. As the events of the Sundering began to unfold, Bailas was in Vash’jir, semi-retired from active service and focusing much of his attention of strengthening the position of House Firesong. It’s believed that Bailas was able to get a message to his eldest son Solanar, whom like his father possessed a strong affinity for the arcane and utilizing the massive energies of the Well of Eternity. Bailas expressed his growing concern about the disturbing changes which had overtaken Queen Azshara and much of the populace of Zin-Azshari. Solanar linked up with the Kaldorei resistance and grew to become an avid supporter of Dath'Remar Sunstrider, fighting valiantly to push back the seemingly endless Legion advance. A Vash’jir began to flood, Bailas utilized his skill with teleportation magics to get his wife A’malia, younger children, relatives, and retainers to safety. Those capable of fighting joined Solanar and Dath’Remar in the fight, while A'malia and the others went into hiding until the conclusion of the war. It’s believed that Bailas lingered too long himself as Vash’jir became submerged, either perishing or falling victim to the naga curse. As his actions, both his valiant rescue efforts and warnings to his son assured that House Firesong survived the disaster and eventually reached Quel’thalas, the memory of Bailas Firesong is deeply honored by members of the house and it’s retainers; Entilzha intends to resurrect a family tradition of holding an annual commemoration in his honor which was held annually from shortly after arrival in Quel’Thalas until the scourge invasion. After the War of the Ancients concluded and Azeroth stood shattered, Solanar Firesong remained loyal to Dath’Remar and the Highborne, believing firmly that the Legion would not have been pushed back without their aid, and viewed the ban of the arcane arts as a deeply personal insult. Solanar participated in the grand display of arcane might which lit up the Ashenvale, and sailed East with Sunstrider, with his mother A'malia and the remaining Firesong family members and trusted retainers on the voyage, setting down roots in the lush forests to the south, a formal seat of the remaining members and retainers of House Firesong established near the Sanctum of the Moon. Invasion and Aftermath House Firesong lived in peace between the elfgates for thousands of years, their political status rising and falling throughout. With such a southerly location, House Firesong suffered mightily from the Scourge invasion, their lands overtaken before knowledge of the atttack reached Silvermoon. Entilzha had sent his sister Salandra on a "diplomatic mission" to the Highveil, and he himself was nearly slain at the Sunwell, though escaped through a portal when word of what the enemy was doing with the dead became known to him. Lady Salandra would remain in exile for years, and Entilzha - wishing to remove himself from the demonic magics being employed, began in earnest a study of ley lines, leading to Dalaran where he served two deployments in the Nexus War. Operations in the Ghostlands Nine years after the invasion, with the Sunwell restored, its defilers dealt with, and demonic energies fading from the city, Entilzha sent for Salandra's return, and a number of other previously bound to House Firesong, or to now forgotten lands in the South, were drawn together under the Firesong banner as they embarked in the start of their long and still very incomplete quest to restore the South. The first objective was clear - establishing a foothold at their ancestral seat, the Sanctum of the Moon. While restoring the function and decor of the sanctum would prove far longer a process than clearing it of the manaspawn within, spawn which ceased appearing with the reconstruction of the Spire and the Sanctum's return to normal function. Emboldened by the early success, the growing Firesong force, with the Sanctum an effective command post, opted to push further South into occupied Windrunner Village. Though the initial waves were met with success, the appearance of a swarm of Nerubians led to a devastating loss. As the House recovered from the defeat, a shift of strategy to focus first on locations closer to Eversong, and renewed attention to healing the land itself in what areas they did control was taken as a strategy. With Goldenmist Village just beyond Eversong and occupied only by restless spirits it was not overly difficult to put to rest, laborers were brought in to begin reconstruction, and on the currently stalled construction of a dock suited to deep water vessels. The Dawnstar Spire was also investigated despite qualms over the place's history, it stood over powerful ley flows, with only a smattering of trolls in the area, wiped out or driven south by a series of Firesong advances. Though the spire's secrets do not reveal themselves easily, House Firesong was able to bring its golems and their production under their control. As the spire was redesigned and control over it solidified, it was made the formal seat of House Firesong, though the Sanctum of the Moon remains recognized as their ancestral seat. Efforts to begin mining in Underlight led to the discovery of precious minerals, including the mysterious and magical "Underlight Ore", resource used heavily in the reconstruction of Goldenmist. With the aid of druids and shaman, a totem-protected garden was set up outside the Sanctum of the Moon, and cleaning work begun on the "Green Corridor" to Goldenmist, which when fully restored will permit passage to the Sanctum of the Moon from Eversong without crossing blighted lands. Excess forest treants from Sunstrider Isle were relocated, those able to adapt to the harsh conditions taking up guardians of any regrowth. The ancient forest near Dawnstar, where many trees stand unblighted, proved less of a challenge, with the tenders and some plant life taking easier than in the deeply tainted regions south. The development, through trial and error, of plague resistant seeds, provided both a usefulness and income stream. Druids and shaman were employed to aid with restoration efforts around the Sanctum and in the forest. Setbacks The forces of Deatholme were not silent to the actions of House Firesong, and during the first phase of the campaign, launched two counterstrikes against Firesong holdings, one against the Sanctum of the Moon, the latter against Goldenmist. Both were ultimately repelled, but at great cost in lives and resources. Defenses along the waters south of Goldenmist were improved, as were the Sanctum's own defenses. To make further attacks more difficult, a divination technique to detect and deploy engineering teams to destroy, nerubian tunnels, was devised, and a policy of hit and run attacks in the Windrunner region was begun to create a buffer, though the Nerubians remain the most concerning threat. Hiatus and Reformation When Lord Arcanist Entilzha Firesong lost his wife, Valeria Moringray-Firesong, in childbirth shortly after the assault on Goldenmist, Firesong grew insular for a number of months, spending most of his time with Ysandre, and maintaining the status quo. A recent visit from Lady Briala Evermorn inspired Firesong, and work has begun in earnest on bringing all units to full combat readiness, and has taken a renewed interest in developing relations with elves seeking to aid the south, and bringing in the resources needed to hasten cleansing. Political Views House Firesong officially supports, and has sworn loyalty to, the Silvermoon government of Regent Lord Lor'themar Theron, with many believing the Regent Lord shares their long-term vision of an independent, elven-centric Quel'Thalas after the disaster in Pandaria. Taking little interest in the affairs of other races, House Firesong feels resources deployed in Pandaria and on other campaigns would have been put to far better use in Quel'Thalas. Despite any misgivings, House Firesong formally supports the Silvermoon government, though wishes a reduction in foreign entanglements and focus on home. An exception would seem to be where the Burning Legion, whom twice almost destroyed the family, are involved, with many Firesong retainers serving among the Sunsworn and the deeds of Lady Liadrin on Draenor praised beyond what is needed for acceptability. Category:Houses and Clans Category:Blood Elf Houses Category:Quel'Thalas Peerage Category:House of Firesong